Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 4.djvu/254

220 Moreover, I have fought the Democracy in this State during the past year and I have a very bad opinion of it. Despite the nomination of Blaine I firmly believe that to the masses of the Republican party we must look for progress and reform in public affairs.

Besides considering this subject deeply myself I have consulted some men in whom I have confidence and they advise me to adopt my present course. This is the advice of John and Charles Adams and of Roosevelt. Roosevelt not only advises it but means to return and vote for Blaine himself and has offered to speak in my district. I speak of running for Congress only as it looks to me now. Matters may of course change. One thing in your letter and only one surprised and pained me. That was your intimation that my friends would leave me and my position be affected. If social ostracism is to be attempted in this business, I confess a feeling of revolt would master me completely. My people have lived here for generations. I have been born and brought up here. I never have done a mean, dishonorable or cowardly thing in my life, so far as I know. I have never injured a man or wronged a woman. If I am to be banned because I vote according to what I believe conscientiously to be the dictates of honor, then have the old anti-slavery days indeed come again and I will fight against such treatment with all my strength. But I have no fear of this. Except for a few extremists and a few envious men, the community which has known me all my days will do me justice in the end. Moreover, in my district here there are scores of men who have stood by me and followed me and worked for me and they beg me now to stand by them. There is an obligation here which I cannot overlook although it would not be of itself decisive, perhaps.

I am fully aware that I shall at this time be accused of the worst motives but I must make the best of it. If I cannot answer and remove it by my life and acts then I am much mistaken. On mere grounds of expediency it seems to me that no party was ever founded on opposition to a single man or ever will be. Whatever the result of the election the parties will remain. By staying in the party I can be of some use. By